


in screaming colour

by indigomagnus (holly_violet)



Series: malec oneshots [4]
Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Cross-Posted on Tumblr, Fluff, Immortal Husbands, Introspection, M/M, Mild Hurt/Comfort, alec is tired and gay and magnus is just the best, this is rlly short im sorry
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-19
Updated: 2019-07-19
Packaged: 2020-07-08 22:54:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 477
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19877413
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/holly_violet/pseuds/indigomagnus
Summary: Alec steps through the doors bone-weary and asleep on his feet, and there he is.(or, Alec gets back from a mission and Magnus is there to take him home.)





	in screaming colour

**Author's Note:**

> Title from Out of the Woods by Taylor Swift, but you probably knew that, since it's been used for a million fic titles before.

Alec steps through the doors bone-weary and asleep on his feet, and there he is.

Magnus is drawn in vivid purple and electric blue and hot pink, all spiky hair and flourish. He’s talking to Izzy with his hands gesturing in wide, dramatic arcs, so thoroughly invested in whatever story he’s telling or point he’s trying to make that everyone around him is pulled in, convinced with just a few well-placed, seemingly effortless words.

(Alec knows they aren’t effortless, so to speak, but anyone else certainly wouldn’t.)

Magnus is all the colour in Alec’s world, against the greys and whites of the Institute, and Alec will never hope to be anywhere near as eloquent or thoughtful or wise, but letting Magnus occupy his thoughts and paint his life in splashes of emotion he was never told he was capable of feeling might just make up for it.

Magnus still hasn’t seen him, with his back facing toward Alec as he finds an appropriate place to leave his gear from the patrol. He wonders vaguely why Magnus is even here, but whatever the reason is, it can be dealt with later. Because Alec is tired, he’s so, so tired, and even if the reason is some kind of ward breach or medical emergency, he’s overwhelmingly glad to see him.

He sees Izzy’s face light up as she registers his presence, and she waves, nudging Magnus towards Alec. Magnus’ smile grows wider and softer, as he walks over, with a little of the almost-pity that always tinges their post-exhausting-mission conversations.

When Magnus reaches him, Alec leans down just a little, knowingly, and Magnus obligingly kisses him on the cheek, taking his hands and giving them a squeeze.

“Hey, darling,” Magnus says, “Ready to go home?”

“More than ready. I’ve just about been ready to go home since I left this morning.”

Magnus chuckles, looping his arm around Alec’s waist. “Will the Shadow World ever give you a break, Alexander?”

“Maybe after the world ends.” A year ago, Alec would’ve said ‘ _maybe when I’m dead_ ’, but that isn’t exactly accurate anymore, since they figured out a miraculous way to avoid that apparent inevitability. “And I think we’ve all had enough of potential world-ending scenarios.”

“I’ll say.” Magnus leans up to kiss Alec properly, soft and sweet, brief enough for the middle of the bustling New York Institute, leaving behind the taste of vanilla lip-gloss. He pulls away after a few quiet moments of their foreheads pressed together, as Alec breathes in the sandalwood scent of Magnus’ aftershave and lets some of the tension fall from his shoulders, and Magnus presses a hand against his heart.

“Shall I portal us home, or do you have any loose ends to tie up?”

“Shockingly, no. Let’s go.” Magnus raises his hands, summoning a portal of swirling light, and steps toward it.

“After you.”

**Author's Note:**

> i wrote this at 1 am because the first lines popped into my head and i couldn't get to sleep if I didn't write 'em down, so here. It's short and soft, but Tumblr kind of liked it, so I thought I'd post it here, too.
> 
> Kudos and comments always appreciated x
> 
> My Shadowhunters tumblr is [indigomagnus](https://indigomagnus.tumblr.com) if you want to see more of my fics
> 
> thx for reading sorry this note was like almost as long as the fic


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